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Why is ANYONE surprised by the dipping and diving Chinese economy? We have been snapping up cheaply produced goods and sending billions of dollars to a country that doesn't know what transparency is. Now—with global markets plunging—the finger pointing begins.

Is it the fault of the analysts who recommended Chinese stocks, the brokers who sold them, the legislators who pass laws making global commerce easy or the consumer for opening our wallets to low cost goods?

Try looking at it this way:

We want low unemployment in our country.

We want to support American companies and keep the profits here.

We want people in under-developed countries to enjoy a more US-like standard of wages, benefits and working conditions.

We want the goods we purchase to be as inexpensive as possible.

Can you see where the problem lies? We can’t have all four of our wants at the same time. We have to make choices and live with the outcome. But, we want what we want and feel badly if we can't have it.

Investors look at screens showing stock market movements at a securities company in Beijing on July 14, 2015. Hundreds of firms were expected to resume trading again on July 14, adding to the more than 400 that returned July 13, after they were suspended over the past few weeks to prevent a market meltdown. Authorities intervened after the Shanghai index plunged 30 percent in three weeks, wiping trillions of dollars from market capitalisations, spreading contagion in regional markets and raising fears over the potential impact to the real economy. AFP PHOTO / GREG BAKER (Photo credit should read GREG BAKER/AFP/Getty Images)

The same idea applies to many ideas we hold dear. Generally, we agree that being dependant on oil is not a good thing (unless you are an oil producer). It's bad for our planet and it is a dwindling resource. So why haven't we put all our (you'll forgive the pun) energy behind solar, wind, water and other sources of clean, renewable power? The same reason we hold on to stocks because our parents worked there—it’s our habit.

Our addiction to cheap stuff is no different. In order to make a change—whether it's a new brand of toothpaste or changing your spending—you must have a pretty good motivator. In fact, your reason to change has to rise above 'pretty good' and move to absolutely imperative. Our habits are ingrained and play out in our behaviors. We don't consider from where they arose, whether they serve our highest purpose or whether the results of our habits lead to unintended detrimental outcomes.

Aligning our values, what's really important to us, requires a commitment to make changes where necessary. It isn't easy, it takes perseverance and a level of pain, but the outcomes brings us closer to who we really are and what we really want. By doing what we always do, what has become easy, second nature or "normal", we are just resisting looking at other, more desirable possibilities for our happiness. Let's face it, we are addicted to the status quo—but is it what we REALLY want?

China's market woes will stabilize and we will continue to listen to the analysts, buy from the brokers and buy cheaply made stuff. Until we examine our habits and the values behind them, we will continue on as before with barely a nod.

It’s only when we make decisions that align with our values—and then shift our behaviors to align with those values—that we can start making serious change.